mover



July 16, 1963 J. D. MOYER 3,097,512

YARN CLAMPING AND SEVERING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 2, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet l FlE- l IN VEN TOR.

James Q Moy J. D. MOYER July 16, 1963 YARN CLAMPING AND SEVEIRING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed NOV. 2, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. James Q Mayer BY Mae J. D- MOYER July 16, 1963 YARN CLAMPING AND SEVERING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 2, 1959 INVENTOR. James 0 Mayer Q5,

Uite

This invention relates to circular knitting machines and more particularly to such machines having a plurality of knitting stations and means for clamping the yarns fed at each knitting station and for cutting the yarns close to the needles of the machine when the yarns are moved to knitting position and again when they are removed from knitting position.

In circular knitting machines the machines are commonly provided with yarn fingers which have a fixed position outside of the needle circle and yarn clamping and cutting means which have a fixed position within the needle circle. When a yarn is to be removed from knitting position its yarn finger is raised to inactive position to carry the yarn above the path of the needles and the yarn is carried by the last needle to knit between the clamping means and then between the elements of the cutting or severing means which are subsequently activated to sever the yarn between the clamp and needles. The end of the yarn extending to the yarn finger is held in the clamp until the yarn finger is again lowered to active position to be engaged with the needles at which time the end of the yarn is withdrawn from the clamping means by the needles as they rotate in relation to the fixed clamping means. With this known arrangement the yarn ends extending from the fabric following both the removal of the yarn from knitting position and the return of the yarn to knitting position were of considerable length and a further operation was required to trim the yarn ends close to the fabric after the fabric was removed from the machine.

Heretofore, in order to eliminate this additional trimming operation mechanisms have been devised to sever the ends of both the ingoing and outgoing yarns close to the needle circle during the operation of the machine. In one of such mechanisms, designed particularly for machines having only a single knitting station, a member having a toothed outer peripheral edge lying closely adjacent to the inner circumference of the circle of needles and rotatable therewith, engages and carries an outgoing yarn between the elements of a clamping device and then to a cutter element coacting with the toothed member to sever the yarn between the clamp and needles. In a like manner, the toothed member engages an incoming yarn between the needles and clamp and carries it around to the cutter element for severance. The mechanism also includes means for opening the clamping means and suction means for removing the severed end of the incoming yarn from the clamping means. In this device, in order to permit sufiicient movement of the toothed member to carry the yarn between the clamping elements before the yarn was severed both the clamping means and the cutter element were positioned in fixed position around the needle circle at a point substantially diametrically opposite the yarn fingers. Also it was found desirable to hold the yarns under tension between the guide fingers and the yarn supplies.

In attempts to adapt similar clamping and cutting mech anisms to machines having two or more knitting stations, which are spaced 115 or less from each other, it was found that there was not sufficient space between the yarn fingers and clamping and cutting means associated with each knitting station to permit suflicient movement of the toothed member to insure that all the yarns to be cut were carried between the clamping means thereby making in! its use impractical for machines having more than one knitting station.

It is therefore an object of the instant invention to provide means in circular knitting machines having a plurality of knitting stations for overcoming the above noted and other objections in clamping and cutting yarns fed at each of the knitting stations.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means in a circular knitting machine having a plurality of knitting stations for clamping and cutting yarns fed at each of the stations when the yarns are moved out of feeding position, which includes means for opening the clamping means to receive the yarns and suction means for creating a flow of air over the yarns and toward the clamping means to thereby insure that all of the yarns are moved into position to be clamped by the clamping means.

A further object of the invention is the provision in a multifeed circular knitting machine of individual yarn cutting and clamping means for each of said feeds and a single means for controlling the clamping operation at the feeds and a single means for moving the cutting means into and out of yarn severing position at the feeds.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent from the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the invention resides in the novel elements, features of construction and cooperation of parts, as hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a portion of the dial mechanism of a circular knitting machine having yarn clamping and severing mechanism according to the instant invention applied thereto;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the mechanism of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view of a portion of the mechanism of FIG. 2 as seen in the direction of the arrows 3-3;

FIG. 4 is a view on an enlarged scale of the mechanism of FIG. 1 with parts being omitted;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view of a portion of the mechanism of FIG. 4 taken in the direction of the arrows 6--6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a view of a portion of the control mechanism of the invention, parts being shown in elevation and other parts being shown in cross section; and

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 of other control mechanism of the invention.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, there is shown a portion of a circular machine for knitting sheer ladies stockings including a circular series of needles 10 (shown in dot-and-dash outline in FIG. 4) which are mounted for sliding movements in slots formed in a cylinder 11, and transfer bits 12 mounted in radially extending slots in a bed member 15 of a dial mechanism 16, a portion of which is shown in FIG. 6. The machine is adapted for multifeed knitting and is provided with closely spaced main and auxiliary knitting stations indicated generally at 17 and 20, respectively, in FIG. 1. The cylinder 11 is adapted for both rotary and reciprocatory movement and the needles 10 are operated by cam means (not shown) at the main and auxiliary knitting stations to grasp yarns fed to the needles by guide fingers 21 at each of the knitting stations.

The dial mechanism 16 includes the bed member 15 secured to the lower end of a shaft 25 which extends upwardly through a bearing member 26 to driving means (not shown) for rotating the :bed member in synchronism with the cylinder .11. T he hearing member 26 is provided with a flange portion 27 to the under side of which is secured a cam track 30 which together with movable cam members (not shown) comprises the usual means for operating the transfer bits in cooperation with the needles in forming welt portions of the stockings. The above described dial mechanism is supported from the usual mounting for a latch ring 22 the mounting being supported for pivotal movement on a bracket 31 whereby both the latch ring and the dial mechanism may be raised to inactive position above the cylinder 11 in a conventional manner. The yarn guide fingers 21, at the main and auxiliary knitting stations 17 and 2.0, are mounted in the latch ring 22 and are retractable thereon from an active feeding position to an inactive position by means not shown herein but which may be of any well known construction.

During the knitting of the stockings the guide fingers 21 for the yarns at the main and auxiliary knitting stations are operated to move the yarns into and out of knitting position according to a predetermined sequence in a common manner. When a yarn is removed from knitting position, the yarn is severed closely adjacent to the needle circle and the end of the yarn extending from the guide finger is engaged and held by clamping means until the yarn is again returned to knitting position. Also when the yarn is returned to knitting position the yarn is again severed close to the first needle to take and knit it. The yarn clamping and severing means shown in connection with the instant invention is of the type generally shown in Patent No. 2,824,436, issued to V. T. Stack et al., February 25, 1958, but whereas the mechanism of said patent was adapted for a machine having only a single knitting station, the mechanism shown herein is arranged to clamp and sever the yarns at both the main and auxiliary knitting stations. As shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the severing mechanism includes an annulus 32 having sharpedged peripheral teeth 35 pitched in the direction of the counter-clockwise or rotary movement of the cylinder 11. The annulus 32 is positioned between the cam track and bed member 15 and is provided with means cooperating with certain of the transfer bits 12 as set forth in Patent No. 2,824,436 to cause the annulus to rotate with the bed member. Cooperating with the upper edges of the teeth of the annulus 32 for severing the yarns fed to the needles at the main knitting station is a cutting element 36 which is pivotally mounted by means of a pin 37 in a slot formed in an offset end portion 40 of a lever '41. The lever 41 is pivotally mounted by means of -a stud 42 on a bracket 45 secured to the camtrack 30 (FIGS. 4 and 6).

The lever 41 and the cutting element 36 are maintained in raised inactive positions except when a yarn is to tbe severed at which time the lever is moved to resiliently engage the cutting element with the annulus, as shown in FIG. 6. For maintaining the lever 41, and hence the cutting element, in inactive position the lever is connected to one end of a link 46, the other end of which extends upwardly to pass through an opening (not shown) in one arm 47 of a lever 48 (FIGS. 6 and 8). At its upper end, the link 46 carries a fixed collar 50 for engagement with the upper surface of the arm 47 of the lever 48. A compression spring 51 carried on the link 46 between the under side of the arm 47 and a collar 52 fixed on the link tends to hold the collar 50 in engagement with the arm 47 and acts to resiliently press the cutting element 36 against the annulus 32 when the lever 41 is moved to active position by the lever 48 as hereinafter set forth.

The lever 48 is secured to one end of a rod or shaft 55 which is rotatably mounted in a hub 56 formed on the supporting structure, indicated generally at 54, for the driving means for the dial mechanism 16 (FIGS. 1 and 2). A second arm 57 of the lever 48 is adapted to be engaged by one end 60 of a lever 61 which is pivoted intermediate its ends on a pin 62 carried in a portion 65 of the framework of the machine. At its other end 66, the lever 61 is connected by a Bowden wire 67 or the like to one end 68 of a lever 70 which is pivoted on a shaft 71 carried in a fixed part of the framework of the machine. At its other end,

1y toward the guide fingers 21.

the lever 70 is provided with a follower portion 72 which is normally biased by a spring 73 into engagement with the outer periphery of a pattern drum 75 forming a part of the pattern means common to circular knitting machines. When the cutting element 36 is to be moved to engage the annulus 32, as hereinbefore set forth, a cam member 76 provided on the drum 75 is moved beneath the follower portion 72 to turn the lever 76 clockwise. Clockwise movement of the lever 71 moves the Bowden wire 67 and lever 61 to in turn move the lever 48 clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 8, and the latter lever acts through the spring 51 and link 46 to move the lever 41 clockwise to its position of FIG. 6.

The means for severing the yarns fed to the needles 10 at the auxiliary knitting station 20 is generally identical to that described above for severing the yarns associated with the main knitting station 17 and like parts are identitied with the same reference characters. The lever 41 is connected to the lower end of a link 46 (FIG. 2) the other end of which extends upwardly through an opening (not shown) in the free end of a lever 81 which is secured to the end of the shaft 55 opposite from the lever 48 to turn with the shaft and lever 48. A collar 50 secured to the upper end of the link 46 is biased into engagement with the upper surface of the lever 89 by a compression spring 51 mounted on the link between the under side of the lever and a second collar 52 also secured to the link. A spring 81, connected between the lever and an anchoring member 82 secured to the hub 56, tends to bias the shaft 55 and levers 48 and 8t counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 2, to maintain the arm 57 of the lever 48 in engagement with the end 60 of the lever 61. The clockwise movements transmitted to the levers 48 and 80 by the lever 61 are slightly greater than that necessary to move the cutting elements into engagement with the annulus 32 to compress the springs 51 slightly between the levers and the collars 52 to resiliently hold the cutting elements in engagement with the annulus.

In order to hold the ends of the yarns extending to the guide fingers 21 at the main knitting station 17 after the yarns are severed there is provided a yarn restraining element 85 of sheet metal or the like having one end secured by a screw 86 to a raised portion of the flange 27 between the guide fingers 21 and the cutter elements 36 and over lying the main portion of the flange in the same manner as set forth in Patent No. 2,824,436. The restraining element 85 has a terminal tongue 87 which is curved upward- Cooperating with the upper surface of the restraining element 85 to hold the yarns upon being severed is a clamp member 90 which is fulcrumed intermediate its ends on a stud 91 secured to the bearing member 26 (FIG. 4). The clamp member is normally urged downwardly into active clamping engagement with the restraining element and is actuated to raised inactive position by a piston 92, shown in dot-and-dash outline in FIGS. 4 and 5, of a pneumatic cylinder 95 (FIGS. 1 and 2), which acts on a tail end portion 93 of the clamp member for purposes and in a manner hereinafter set forth.

The ends of the yarns extending between the guide fingers 21 at the auxiliary knitting station 20 and the cutting element 36 associated therewith are similarly held, fol lowing severing of these yarns, between a restraining element 96, which is constructed and mounted on the flange 27 in the same manner as element 85, and a clamp member 97 which is fulcrumed on a stud 100 secured to the bearing member 26 (FIG. 4). The clamp member 97 is simultaneously actuated with the clamp member 90 by a lever 101 which is pivotally mounted on a stud 102 secured to the bearing member 26 (FIGS. 4 and 5). Opposite ends 105 and 196 of the lever 1161 extend outwardly to engage beneath the tail portion 93 of the clamp member 90 and the clamp member 97, resectively, whereby actuation of the clamp member 96 by the piston 92 will in turn actuate the clamp member 97. A spring 107 connected between clamp member 97 and the lever 101 normally tends to turn and maintain the clamp members in engagement with their respective restraining elements to hold the yarns.

Under normal operating conditions when a yarn is to be removed from knitting position at one of or at both the mean and auxiliary knitting stations, the guide finger 21 for the yarn is raised to inactive position and as the yarn is carried downwardly by the last needle to knit this yarn, it is engaged by a tooth 35 of the annulus 32. Thereupon as the needles and annulus are rotated in the forward direction, the yarn is carried therewith to pass above the curved end of the restraining member and beneath the upwardly curved end of the clamp member, which at this time is in clamping engagement with the restraining member to hold the ends of the other inactive yarns. As the annulus and needles continue to rotate the yarn is cammed downwardly and passes beneath the clamp member until it engages upwardly extending projections 103 and 104 formed on the restraining element (FIGS. 4 and 6) which act to position the yarns beneath the clamp member. Continued rotation of the annulus then carries the yarn to the severing element 36, which at this time has been moved by a cam 76 on the pattern drum 75 to engage the annulus, to sever the yarn in the same manner set forth in said Patent 2,824,436.

When a yarn is returned to knitting position by movement of its guide finger to active position, the yarn is again drawn into engagement with a tooth of the annulus by the first needle to knit the yarn and as the annulus is rotated in the forward direction the yarn is carried beneath the restraining element while it is still held between the restraining element and the clamp member. Upon continued rotation of the annulus the yarn is looped around the restraining element and is severed by the cutting element which at this time has again been moved into engagement with the annulus. Following severing of the ingoing yarn the waste length of yarn remaining looped around the restraining element is preferably removed from the clamping means. For the purpose of removing the waste length of yarn there is provided, in association with the clamping means at each of the feeding stations, a suction device including a member 110 secured to the flange portion 27 by the screw 86 and having a foot portion 111 overlying the restraining element. The under surface of the foot portion 111 is undercut or channeled (not shown) to communicate with an opening 112 extending upwardly through the member 110 (FIG. 4). The opening 112 in the member 110 associated with the main knitting station is adapted to receive one end of an air tube or conduit 115, the other end of which is connected to a receptacle 116 for receiving and collecting the waste lengths of yarns in a manner hereinafter set forth. The receptacle 116 is supported on a fixed part of the supporting means for the dial driving means and is provided with a screened opening 118 (FIG. 3). An air tube 117 is connected in a like manner between the opening 112 in the member 110 associated with the auxiliary knitting station 20 and the receptacle 116.

In order to create a vacuum or suction at the under side of the members 110, air is induced to flow upwardly through the tubes 115 and 117 by directing streams of air under pressure through the tubes toward the receptacle 116. For this purpose one end of an air tube 120 is connected into each of the tubes 115 and 117, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the other ends of the tubes 120 being connected to a chamber (not shown) in a housing member 121 (FIGS. 2 and 7). A tube 122 having one end in communication with the chamber in the housing member 121 is connected at its other end to the air cylinder 95. Air under pressure is supplied to the chamber in the member 121 through an air tube 125 which is connected between the member 121 and one side of a valve 126 carried on a bracket 127 secured to a part of the framework of the machine (FIG. 7 At its other side the valve 126 is connected by an air tube 130 to a source of air under pressure.

For controlling the flow of air to the member 121, the valve is provided with a stem 131 which is normally maintained in closed position. The stem- 131 is adapted to be operated to open position by a lever 132 fulcrumed on the bracket 127 to permit the flow of air from its source to the member 121 and through the tubes 120 and 122 for purposes hereinafter set forth. The lever 132 is connected by a Bowden wire 134 or the like to one end 135 of a lever 136 pivotally mounted on the shaft 71. At its other end the lever 136 is provided with a follower portion 137 for engagement with the pattern drum 75. Normally the follower portion 1.37 is biased by a spring 138 to ride on the periphery of the pattern drum 75 to hold the lever 132 in its raised inactive position and at this time the valve stem 131 is positioned to close the valve 126 against the air pressure. When a cam such as that shown at 140 (FIG. 7) is moved beneath the portion 137 of the lever 136, the lever acts through the Bowden wire to move the lever 132 to actuate the valve stem 131 to open position thereby permitting air to flow to the housing member 121. From the member 121 the air flow is directed through the tube 122 to actuate the valve stem 92 and raise the clamp members and 97 and through the tubes 120 to the receptacle 116 to cause an air flow across the restraining elements and upwardly through the openings 112 in the members and through the tubes and 1117 to hold the ends of the inactive yarns in position for subsequent clamping when the clamp members are returned to closed position. Also at this time the waste length or lengths of yarns remaining beneath the clamp members following severing of the ingoing yarns, are withdrawn upwardly through the tubes 115 and 117 to the receptacle 116.

Heretofore, in order to insure that the yarns, which are removed from knitting position, would be carried beneath the closed clamp member by the annulus before such yarns were severed, the tension means for the yarns continued to exert a drag thereon between the guide fingers and the yarn supply. Where main yarns, such as those employed in the sheer leg portion of the stocking, are fed to the needles without tension, means must be provided to hold the yarn at the time its associated guide finger is moved to inactive position, and such holding action very often causes a tightening of the last few stitches knitted with this yarn and results in noticeable defects in the finished stocking.

In accordance with the instant invention, to overcome this condition at the time the guide finger or fingers for untensioned yarn are raised to inactive position, the air valve 126 is also opened to raise the clamp members to inactive positions and to hold the ends of the inactive yarns while the clamp members are in inactive position, as hereinbefore set forth. Also at this time, as the newly inactivated yarn is carried by the annulus toward the severing point the flow of air exerts a pull on this yarn to overcome any tendency of the yarn to adhere to the clamp member and to draw the yarn into position to be clamped when the clamp member is returned to active clamping position.

It will be understood that the improvements specifically shown and described by which the above described results 'are obtained, can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In a circular knitting machine having a rotating cylinder with a circular series of needles, a plurality of feed stations mounted in fixed angularly spaced positions around said cylinder, each of said stations including retractable yarn guide fingers for feeding yarns to said needles, a stationary disk positioned within the circle of needles adjacent to the top of said cylinder, and separate means mounted in fixed position on said disk for clamping the yarns at each of said feed stations, said separate means comprising 'a first and a second clamp member, means for raising said first clamp member at one of said feed stations to receive and clamp the yarns of the guide fingers when retracted thereat, and means for raising said second clamp member at another of said feed stations to receive and clamp the yarns of the guide fingers when retracted thereat, said last named means comprising a pivotally mounted member having oppositely extending ends operatively connecting said first and said second clamp members, said pivotally mounted member being operated by the movement of said first clamp member to raised position to raise said second clamp member.

2. In a circular knitting machine having a rotating cylinder with a circular series of needles, a plurality of yarn feed stations mounted in spaced fixed position around said cylinder, each of said stations including retractable yarn guide fingers for feeding yarns to said needles, means for severing the yarns at each of said feed stations, separate means for clamping the yarns at each of said feed stations positioned between the feed station and severing means associated therewith, said separate means comprising a first and a second clamp member, means for raising said just clamp member at one of the feed stations to receive and clamp the yarns of the guide fingers when retracted thereat, means for raising said second clamp member at another of said feed stations to receive and clamp the yarns of the guide fingers when retracted thereat, said last mentioned means comprising a pivotally mounted member having oppositely extending ends operatively engaging said first and second clamp members, said pivotally mounted member being operated by the move ment of said first clamp member to raised position to raise said second clamp member, and suction means positioned between said clamp member and severing means at each of said feed stations acting to draw the yarns retracted thereat beneath said clamp member while in raised position.

3. In a circular knitting machine having a rotating cylinder with a complement of needles, a plurality of yarn feed station-s mounted in spaced stationarily fixed positions about said cylinder, each of said stations including retractable yarn guide fingers for feeding yarns to said needles, a stationary disk positioned within the needle circle adjacent the top of said needle cylinder, and yarn clamping and severing mechanism at each of said feed stations, said mechanism including an annulus at the bottom of said disk capable of rotation with said cylinder, said annulus having peripheral teeth extending into close proximity to the needles, a cooperative cutter element associated with each of said feed stations and adapted to be moved to shearing engagement with the teeth of said annulus, separate means for clamping the yarns at each of said feed stations positioned between the feed station and cutter element associated therewith whereby upon retraction of a guide finger thereat the yarn thereof is carried down by the last needle to which it is fed and incidentally caught between adjacent teeth of said annulus, drawn beneath the clamp, and eventually severed close to the needle by shearing action of the cutter element with said teeth as said needle passes said cutter element, said separate means comprising a first and a second clamp member, and means for raising said first clamp member associated with one of said feed stations to receive and clamp the yarn of the guide finger when retracted thereat, in combination with means for raising said second clamp member at another of said feed stations to receive and clamp the yarn of the guide finger when retracted thereat, said last mentioned means comprising a pivotally mounted member having oppositely extending ends operatively engaging said first and second clamp members, said pivotally mounted member being operated by the movement of said first clamp member to raised position to raise said second clamp member.

4.111 a circular knitting machine having a rotating cylinder with a circular series of needles, a plurality of yarn feed stations mounted in spaced stationarily fixed positions around said cylinder, each of said stations including retractable yarn guide fingers tor feeding yarns to said needles, a stationary disk positioned within the circle of needles adjacent the top of said needle cylinder, and yarn clamping and severing mechanism at each of said feed stations, said mechanism including an annulus at the bottom of said disk capable of rotation with said cylinder, said annulus having peripheral teeth extending into close proximity to the needles, a cooperative cutter element associated with each of said feed stations and adapted to be moved to shearing engagement with the teeth of said annulus, separate means for clamping the yarns at each of said feed stations positioned between the feed station and cutter element associated therewith whereby upon retraction of a guide finger thereat, the yarn thereof is carried down by the last needle to which it is fed and incidentally caught between adjacent teeth of said annulus, drawn beneath the clamp, and eventually severed close to the needle by shearing action of the cutter element with said teeth as said needle passes said cutter element, said separate means comprising a first and a second clamp member, and means for raising said first clamp member associated with one of said feed stations to inactive position in combination with means operated by said first clamp member at said one feed station for raising said second clamp member at the other of said feed stations, said last mentioned means comprising a pivotally mounted member interposed between said first and second clamp members and having oppositely extending ends operatively engaging said first and second clamp members.

5. In a circular knitting machine having a rotating cylinder with a circular series of needles, a plurality of yarn feed stations mounted in fixed angularly spaced positions around said cylinder, each of said stations having retract-able yarn guide fingers for feeding yarns to said needles, a stationary disk positioned within the circle of needles adjacent the top of said needle cylinder, and yarn clamping and severing mechanism for the yarns at each of the feed stations, said mechanism including an annulus at the bottom of said disk capable of rotation With said cylinder, said annulus having peripheral teeth extending into close proximity to the needle, a cutter element at each of said feed stations and adapted to be moved to shearing engagement with the teeth of said annulus, separate means for clamping the yarns at each of said feed stations positioned between the feed station and cutter element associated therewith whereby upon retraction of a guide finger at said feed station the yarn thereof is carried down by the last needle to which it is fed and caught between adjacent teeth of said annulus to be moved with said annulus, drawn beneath the clamp member and eventually severed close to the needle by shearing action of said cutter element, said separate means comprising a first and a second clamp member, means for simultaneously operating the cutter elements associated with each of said feed stations, means for raising said first clamp member at one of said feed stations to receive and clamp the yarn of the guide finger when retracted thereat, and means for raising said second clamp member at another of said feed stations, said last named means comprising a pivotally mounted memher having oppositely extending ends operatively connecting said first and second clamp members, said pivotally mounted member being operated by movement of said first clamp member to raised position to move said second clamp member to raised position.

6. In a circular knitting machine having a rotating cylinder with a circular series of needles, a plurality of yarn feed stations mounted in spaced fixed position around said cylinder, each of said stations having retractable yarn guide fingers for feeding yarns to said needles, a stationary disk positioned within the circle of needles adjacent the top of said needle cylinder, and yarn clamping and severing mechanism for the yarns at each of the feed stations, said mechanism including an annulus at the bottom of said disk capable of rotation with said cylinder, said annulus having peripheral teeth extending into close proximity to the needles, a cutter element at each of said feed stations and adapted to be moved to shearing engagment with the teeth of said annulus, separate means for clamping the yarns at each of said feed stations positioned between the feed station and cutter element associated therewith whereby upon retraction of a vguide finger at said station, the yarn thereof is carried down by the last needle to which it is fed and caught between adjacent teeth of said annulus, drawn beneath the clamp member and eventually severed close to the needle by shearing action of the cutter element with said teeth as said needle passes said cutter element, said separate means comprising -a first and a second clamp member, means for raising said first clamp member at one of said feed stations, means for raising said second clamp member at another of said feed stations, said means 'for raising said second clamp member comprising a pivotally mounted member having oppositely extending ends operatively connecting said first and second clamp members whereby said pivotally mounted member is operated by the movement of said first clamp member to raised position to move said second clamp member to raised position, and suction means positioned between said clamp member and cutter element at each of said feed stations acting to draw the yarn beneath said clamp member while in raised position.

7. In a circular knitting machine having a rotating cylinder with a circular series of needles, a plurality of yarn feed stations mounted in fixed angularly spaced positions around said cylinder, each of said stations having retractable yarn guide fingers for feeding yarns to said needles, a stationary disk positioned within the circle of needles adjacent the top of said needle cylinder, and yarn clamping and severing mechanism for the yarns at each of the feed stations, said mechanism including an annulus at the bottom of said disk capable of rotation with said cylinder, said annulus having peripheral teeth extending into close proximity to the needles, a cutter element at each of said teed stations and adapted to be moved to shearing engagement with the teeth of said annulus, separate means for clamping the yarns at each of said feed stations positioned between the feed station and cutter element associated therewith whereby upon retraction of a guide finger at said station the yarn thereof is carried down by the last needle to which it is fed and caught between adjacent teeth of said annulus to be moved with said annulus and eventually severed close to the needle by the shearing act-ion of the cutter element, said separate means comprising a first and a second clamp member, means :for raising said first clamp member to inactive position at one of said feed stations, means for raising said second clamp member at another of said feed stations, said means for raising said second clamp member comprising a pivotally mounted member, oppositely extending ends on said pivotally mounted member operatively connecting said first and second clamp members, said pivotally mounted member being operated by the movement of said first clamp member to raised position to move said second clamp member to raised position, suction means positioned between said clamp member and cutter element at each of said feed stations acting to draw the yarns beneath said clamp members while in raised inactive position, and control means for actuating said raising means for said first clamp member at said one feed station and said suction means at each of said feed stations.

8. In a circular knitting machine having a rotative cylinder with a circular series of needles, a plurality of yarn feed stations mounted in fixed angularly spaced positions around said cylinder, each of said stations having retractable yarn guide fingers for feeding yarns to said needles, a stationary disk positioned within the circle of needles adjacent the top of said cylinder, separate yarn clamping means at each of said teed stations for holding the ends of the yarns of the guide fingers in retracted position, severing mechanism for the yarns at each of said feed stations, said clamping means and severing mechanism associated with each of said teed stations being angularly spaced therefrom, said severing mechanism including an annulus at the bottom of said disk capable of rotation with said cylinder and having peripheral teeth extending into close proximity to the needles, a cutter element at each of said 'feed stations and adapted to be moved to shearing engagement with the teeth of said annulus, whereby upon retracting of a guide finger at said feed sttaion the yarn thereof is carried down by the last needle to which it is fed and caught between adjacent teeth of said annulus to be moved with said annulus and eventually severed close to the needle by shearing ac tion of said cutter element, each said separate clamping means including a clamp member positioned between the deed station and cutter element associated therewith, means for raising said clamp member to inactive position at one of said feed stations, means 'for moving the clamp member to inactive position at a second of said feed stations, said means for moving said clamp member at said second 'feed station comprising a pivotally mounted member having oppositely extending ends operatively connecting said clamp members at said one and said second feed stations, said pivotally mounted member being operated by the movement of said clamp member at said one station to inactive position to move said clamp member at said second feed station to inactive position, suction means positioned between said clamp member and cutter element at each of said feed stations acting to draw the yarn beneath said clamp member when in raised inactive position, said suction means also acting to hold the ends of the retracted yarns when said clamp member is in raised inactive position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,623,027 Gange Mar. 29, 1927 2,824,436 Stack et a1. 'Feb. 25, 1958 2,908,154 Butler Oct. 13, 1959 

1. IN A CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE HAVING A ROTATING CYLINDER WITH A CIRCULAR SERIES OF NEEDLES, A PLURALITY OF FEED STATIONS MOUNTED IN FIXED ANGULAR SPACED POSITIONS AROUND SAID CYLINDER, EACH OF SAID STATIONS INCLUDING RETRACTABLE YARN GUIDE FINGERS FOR FEEDING YARNS TO SAID NEEDLES, A STATIONARY DISK POSITIONED WITHIN THE CIRCLE OF NEEDLES ADJACENT TO THE TOP OF SAID CYLINDER, AND SEPARATE MEANS MOUNTED IN FIXED POSITION ON SAID DISK FOR CLAMPING THE YARNS AT EACH OF SAID FEED STATIONS, SAID SEPARATE MEANS COMPRISING A FIRST AND A SECOND CLAMP MEMBER, MEANS FOR RAISING SAID FIRST CLAMP THE YARNS OF THE GUIDE FEED STATIONS TO RECEIVE AND CLAMP THE YARNS OF THE GUIDE FINGERS WHEN RETRACTED THEREAT, AND MEANS FOR RAISING SAID SECOND CLAMP MEMBER AT ANOTHER OF SAID FEED STATIONS TO RECEIVE AND CLAMP THE YARNS OF THE GUIDE FINGERS WHEN RETRACTED THEREAT, SAID LAST NAMED MEANS COMPRISING A PIVOTALLY MOUNTED MEMBER HAVING OPPOSITELY EXTENDING ENDS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID FIRST AND SAID SECOND CLAMP MEMBER, SAID PIVOTALLY MOUNTED MEMBERS BEING OPERATED BY THE MOVEMENT OF SAID FIRST CLAMP MEMBER TO RAISED POSITION TO RAISE SAID SECOND CLAMP MEMBER. 